Bio

Dave Townsend is a partner in the firm's Corporate Group and its Technology Commerce and National Security Law Practice Groups. Dave focuses on advising clients on U.S. economic sanctions, export controls, customs law, and national-security related matters, including matters before the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). He helps clients with voluntary self disclosures, enforcement matters, developing corporate compliance policies, and trade due diligence in mergers and acquisitions. Dave also assists companies with all import-related aspects of compliance, including classification, country-of-origin, and valuation. Dave has represented both U.S. and foreign clients in trade litigation, including obtaining favorable outcomes concerning import tariff rates from the Department of Commerce and injury determinations from the International Trade Commission. He also represents clients in antidumping, countervailing duty, and safeguard proceedings as well as matters involving the World Trade Organization (WTO) and U.S. free trade agreements. In addition, Dave has assisted clients in investigations under sections 232 and 301, including advice related to exclusions from tariffs. Dave’s clients have included those in a variety of industry sectors, including various agricultural products, chemicals, energy, distilled spirits, financial and other services, solar products, and steel. Dave has significant experience helping clients that are doing business between China and the United States. Dave has helped clients determine tariff rates for imports of Chinese goods into the United States and advised on compliance with U.S. export controls that apply to the transfer of goods, technology, and software from the United States to China. He has also represented Chinese clients in antidumping and countervailing duty proceedings. Dave is adjunct faculty at the University of Minnesota Law School, where he teaches a course on U.S. economic sanctions and export controls. Dave also previously taught at the Georgetown University Law Center on WTO agreements, negotiations, and disputes.